University of South Dakota - Coyote Yearbook (Vermillion, SD)

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has heen enjoying atqulet hut effective transformation durmg the scholast1c year of the Junlor Class responsihle for this puhll- cation. This is true hoth as to material things and in the policies and hi ideals that constitute the higher or spiritual, hence, real lite of a university. The Legislature of 1909, it not grant all the imperative demands of the University, showed a marlced appreciation of the value of the institution to the com- mon-wealth hy malclng more llheral provisions for its maintenance and expansion than ever hetore in the history of state appropriations ln South Dakota. Briefly stated, a new heat, light and power plant has heen completed: a fire pro- tective system has heen installed: Science Hall has heen greatly improved in several important particulars: East Hall has heen made a modern and attractive college home for women: hy means of temporary partitions new rooms, offices. lahoratorles, and instrument rooms have heen provided: and a new room has been added to the general library. All these additions and improvements minister greatly to the convenience of the officers of the institution, and to the effectiveness ot faculty and student effort. The equipment of the older lahoratorles has heen augmented and also extended to meet new and importunate demands. Notahle among the new accessories for more effective worlc may he mentioned the equipment tor the department of Mathematics and Astronomy which is now to he placed with all possihle liherallty upon a parity as to facilities with other departments. The last Legislature passed several measures tavorahle to the new College of Medicine, thus expressing approval of that division ot the University and a determina- tion to support the same. In the Instructional Division ot the University the Department of Philosophy has heen created, the Department of History and Political Science has heen placed under a permanent head, a Department of Puhllc Spealclng of full college ranlc has heen estah- llshed and attached to the Department of English with which naturally so closely allied. The Department of Legal Forensics has heen added to the College of Law which includes hrlet malclng and legal argumentation. The School of Commerce has now the entire time of a technically trained instructor in commercial suhjects. Thus all along the line new and competent teachers have heen added to the instructional staff. Beginning with the current year there went into operation the elimination year hy year of the preparatory school. The attendance in the preparatory department has in late years heen gradually diminishing. This action places the institution upon a true University hasls. Colncldent with this movement ls another of great significance--the increase in the numher of graduate students working for the Masteris Degree. This demand for graduate attention has so pressed itself upon the faculty that it has consti- tuted a new and perplexing prohlem. Heretofore the faculty has not encouraged graduate work and has not developed distinctively graduate courses. The reasons for this delay are two: In the first place, there has not heen, nor is there now, sufficient teaching force justifying the making of inducements to graduate students. The discon- 23

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N x -1' XX Vermillion Residences fl f

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tinuance of preparatory worli hrlngs little aid in this particular on account ot the con- stant lncrease ot under-graduate students. There is not a teacher in the faculty that has not too much to do in justice to himself and his classes. The second difficulty in graduate worlc is the laclc of sultahle lihrary facilities and a lihrary ot adequate proportions. During the last three years the lihrary hudget has heen greatly augmented, while the new Carnegie lthrary huildmg after this year afford ample accommodations tor reading and reference. Graduate worlc now has an acknowledged place in the policy of the University and every ettort he made henceforth to secure necessary support for this important division. One ot the marlied features ot the year has heen the estahllshment of two more hranches ot the Puhlic Service ot the State. The State Geological and Natural His- tory Survey ot South Dalcota has heen connected with the University for several years. the head ot the Department of Geology heing also State Geologist. The State Health Lahoratory is now an integral part of the University, the Director, helng also State Bacteriologist, ls Professor ol Pathology and Bacteriology in the College ot Medicine. The Professor in charge of the Department of Chemistry is now State Chemist and State Food and Drug Commissioner. Lahoratorles and offices have heen fitted up tor these two scientific departments of the State Government. The advant- age to the puhlic welfare is expert service ot a high and rellahle grade at nominal cost, while the worlc of such departments is ot great educational advantage to the institution- Students now have the valuahle opportunity to quality themselves as analysts tor health lahoratories and for pure 'food and drug lahoratorles, tvvo scientific occupations for which there is now great demand for competent scientists. This makes very concrete the real prohlem ot the modern and successful State Univerlsity which is to devote itself to the puhhc lite of the common-wealth as assidu- ously as possihle. A state university faculty must always he ahle and willing to respond whenever the State, in promoting the welfare and progress of the people, calls for scientific and other technical lcnowledge. It he the policy ot the University to serve at com- mand the State in those puhlic capacities for which its professors are so admirahly fitted. Any adequate conception of a State University must relate it and its staff of scholarly men to social welfare and economic progress. The democracy of opportunity is a cardinal virtue ol the modern state university. The tuition is merely nominal, every registration heing practically a tree scholarship entitling the student to everything the institution has to offer. But the up-to-date State University goes even further and offers educational ad- vantages to all the people hy extending its opportunities through correspondence courses to individuals and extension lectures to communities. H In other words alter the university has done all it can to get all the people posslhle into its halls, it talces all the university possihle to just as many people as it can. For the same reasons a Summer School ought to he maintained to give an opportunity to those to attend who are so engaged that they are are unahle to go to school at any 24 4 '